Vaporizer starting system



July 19 1938- c. B. FAvl-:RTY

VAPORIZER STARTING SYSTEM Filed Dec. 15, 1932 Patented July 19, 1938 Y UNITED STATES VAPORIZER STARTING SYSTEM Clyde B. Faverty, Chicago, Ill., assigner to Mark C. Bates, Chicago, lll.

Application December 15, 1932, Serial No. 647,391

Claims.

My invention relates in general to vaporizing apparatus and more in particular to a start-ing system for a vaporizing apparatus.

In the copending application of Charles A.

5 French, Serial No. 603,491, filed April 6, 1932, a vaporizing apparatus is disclosed in which hot gases of combination from a pilot light are delivered to a vaporizing chamber below the level of liquid hydrocarbon maintained therein, where'- by to vaporlze a portion of the liquid hydrocarbon by sensible heat. delivered to an aspirator including a forcing nozzle through which air under relatively high velocity and pressure is delivered. The vapor is entrained and mixed with the air and the resulting mixture is delivered to burners for combustion.

A vaporizing apparatus of this character has been employed with very excellent and satisfactory results in a large number of commercial industries, principally to supply heat in carrying on certain types of processes. In some forms of installations, starting of the vaporizing apparatus becomes considerable of a problem. This is sometimes due to the fact that the furnace atmosphere in certain processes must be maintained with exactness and any deviation from the desirable character of the furnace atmosphere even for a relatively short time is apt to cause deleterious results. For these and other reasons readily understandable to those skilled in the art, it ls desirable to have quickly operable and properly controllable starting means for such a vaporizing apparatus.

'I'he principal obj ect of the invention is the piovision of improved starting means for a vaporizer of the character described.

Another object is to deliver a substantially constant type of combustible mixture to a furnace.

Another object is the provision of a starting system wherein full operation may be attained in a relatively short length of time.

Another object is to start a vaporizing ap-` paratus with a minimum of loss of time, fuel and energy.

Another object is the provision in a vaporizing apparatus of a plurality of types of starting means whereby the vaporizing apparatus is -adapted. for use with substantially any type' of process and under substantially any given set of conditions.

Other objects and features of the invention will be apparent from a consideration of .the following detailed description taken with the accompanying drawing, wherein the single figure The vaporized hydrocarbon is.

illustrates the vaporizing apparatus and the means for starting the same.

In accordance with the general yfeatures of the invention, I may start the vaporizing apparatus by thoroughly heating the vapor chamber 5 before the admission of fuel thereto, whereby, when operation is initiated through the operation of a blower andthe admission of fuel to the vapor chamber, the pilot burner will have sumcient fuel available for immediate ignition. In accordance 10 with another feature, I may employ a commercial source of gas in starting whereby immediately to have a combustible mixture available for initiating burning at the pilot light. I also provide means for controlling the delivery of the out- 15 v going mixture to prevent incorporation into the furnace of a type `of mixture not` suited to its operation or the process in which it is used.

Now, referring to the drawing, I show a vapor chamber I0 adapted to contain a liquid hydro- 20 carbon fuel at the approximate -level of the dotted line A. 'Ihe fuel is supplied by a tank II passing through a sediment bulb I2 and through a pipe I3 to a float chamber I4 and from the oat chamber through a pipe I6 to the vapor 25 chamber. It is the float (not shown) which maintains the level of thev liquid hydrocarbon constant in the vapor chamber. A balance line II connected to the vapor chamber and to the 'top of the float chamber maintains a uniform 30 gas pressure and proper operation of the oat.

The vapor chamber is connected by a passageway I8 with a Venturi tube I9 which forms part of an aspirating apparatus including a forcing nozzle 2|. The forcing nozzle receives air 35 through a pipe 22 from a blower 23, a valve 24 being provided in the line, if necessary. The amount of vapor delivered to the Venturi tube being controlled by a valve 26, a portion of the vapor passes to the Venturi tube, is entrained by 40 the air at the forcing nozzle and combines therewith producing a combustible mixture.

The combustible mixture is delivered to a pipe 21 to which the Venturi tube connects. A pipe 28 shaped ,to` trap some of the combustible mixture 45 is sealed through the wall of the pipe 21 where it joins'the Venturi tube. This pipe withdraws combustible mixture which is burned by a pilot light 29. Hot gases of combustion are delivered from the pilot light to a passageway 3| and 50 thence to an extension 32 to the lower side of a bubble plate 33, supported below the level of liquid in the vapor chamber. This bubble plate preferably is perforated so as to subdivide the gases of combustion and cause them to bubble 55 up in a finely divided condition through the liquid hydrocarbon. The sensible heat of the combustion gases causes a vaporization of a portion of the liquid hydrocarbon, the vaporized portion, of course, rising due to the suction of the aspirator through the connection I8 for cornmingling with the air at the forcing nozzle.

Since the pilot light depends upon the production of a combustible mixture for its operation, and since the production of a combustible mixture is dependent upon the proper combustion of fuel at the pilot light, it is readily understood that the apparatus may, at certain times, present some problems in starting, particularly where relatively very rapid starting is required and only the most satisfactory mixture delivered to the main burners.

In accordance with one of the features of the invention, I provide an electrical resistance 36 beneath the vapor chamber supplied with electric current from a suitable source (not shown) by wires (not shown), the vapor chamber being preliminarily heated by passing an electrical current through the resistance element 36. In starting, the vapor chamber is ilrst drained by closing valve 31 and opening valve 38 in the drain pipe 39. With no liquid in the vapor chamber, the heat produced by the heat element will raise the temperature of the entire combustion chamber. When now, liquid fuel is admitted, a portion of the liquid fuel will. be vaporized by contact with the heated surfaces and if theblower is started at the same time a mixture will be produced sufficiently rich to burn at the pilot light. As the pilot light continues to burn the relative amount of fuel vaporized will be increased and very shortly substantially operating characteristics will be established.

The lvapor chamber may be heated before the admission of the fuel thereto by other means. I may, for example, heat it with an ordinary blow torch, but preferably by backing lup nut 4| on the pilot light to form an opening to which the blow torch can be applied. By then operating the blower, the .torch flame will be drawn through the passageway 3| and will have the effect of rapidly heating the vapor chamber and all portions of the apparatus immediately associated therewith. 'I'he liquid fuel may then be admitted and vaporization will be established sufficiently immediately to initiate operation of the pilot light.

As to the medium of starting under certain conditions, I also provide a gas inlet 42 controlled by a valve 43 and connected to a gas main or suitable source of gas supply by a pipe 44. 'Ihis gas inlet 42 projects into the blower pipe 22, Where it joins the forcing nozzle so that gas in amounts determined by the regulation of the valve 43 is delivered directly into the air stream. The gas so admitted can, if advisable, be burned at the main furnace burners (not shown). Its principal utility, however, is to enable the operator to start the pilot light immediately whereby hot gases of combustion may be produced by the pilot flame and vaporization of the liquid fuel in the vapor chamber is started at once. As the amount of hydrocarbon vapor increases, the valve 43 is gradually cut oif to diminish the amount of gas introduced until substantially the maximum amount of vaporization is reached, at which time the gas is entirely cut off. The gas inlet is so arranged that it interferes to a substantially negligible extent with the movement of air through the blower pipe. While it therefore facilitates starting, it will have substantially no effect upon operation of the apparatus.

To avoid delivering an improper mixture to the burners of a commercial furnace, I provide a three-way valve 46 in the line 2l running to the manifold 47. This manifold is shown only schematically, it being understood that it may consist of a number of branches to deliver a combustible mixture to a number of burners. The three-way valve has a core of a suitable and usual type through which a main passageway 48 is provided, this passageway being connected by a radial passageway 49. With the valve set in the position indicated in the drawing, the two passageways co-operate to deliver the air and vapor mixture to a pipe 5|. Thus the flow of these gases to the manifold is cut off and it is impossible to deliver an undesirable mixture into the furnace.

By means of the system described, it is obvious that the vaporizing apparatus may be started under substantially any condition in a relatively short length of time to produce the maximum amount of vaporized hydrocarbon after which the operation proceeds in a normal manner.

Reference is hereby made to my copending application, Serial No. 647,392, filed December 15, 1932, which discloses subject matter in the form of apparatus similar to that shown in the present application.

I have described my invention in detail to permit those skilled in the art to practice the same. I am not limited, however, to the specific forms of the invention shown and described, except insofar as they are defined in the appended claims.

What I claim as new and desire to protect by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. In a fuel vaporizing apparatus, a vapor chamber, an aspirator including a forcing nozzle and Venturi tube, means for delivering air at a high velocity through the forcing nozzle, a connection between vthe vapor chamber and Venturi tube near said forcing nozzle whereby fuel vapor is entrained with the air and mixed therewith, means for withdrawing an air and vapor mixture as it leaves the aspirator, a pilot light for burning said air and vapor mixture;

means for delivering hot gases of combustion from the pilot light to the lower portion'of the vapor chamber, means for maintaining a pool of liquid fuel in the vapor chamber at a level above that at which said hot gases are delivered. and means for mixing a supply of gas with the air before it passes through said forcing nozzle.

2. In a fuel vaporizing apparatus, a vapor chamber, an aspirator including a forcing nozzle and Venturi tube, means for delivering air at a high velocity through the forcing nozzle, a connection between the vapor chamber and Venturi tube near said forcing nozzle whereby fuel vapor is entrained with the air and mixed therewith, means for withdrawing an air and vapor mixture as it leaves the aspirator, a pilot light for burning said air and vapor mixture, means for delivering hot gases of combustion from the pilot light to the lower portion of the vapor chamber, means for maintaining a pool of liquid fuel in the vapor chamber at a level above that at which said hot gases are delivered, and an electrical heating element disposed in contact with the vapor chamber.

3. In a fuel vaporizing apparatus, a vapor chamber, an aspirator including a forcing nozzle and Venturi tube, a connection between the vapor chamber and Venturi tube near the forcing nozzle, means for delivering air at relatively high velocity through the forcing nozzle to withdraw vapor from the vapor chamber, means for withdrawing mixed air and vapor from the aspirator, means for burning said mixed air and vapor, means for maintaining a pool of liquid fuel at a predetermined level in the vapor chamber, means for delivering the hot gases of combustion to the vapor chamber beneath the level of the liquid fuel therein, and means for heating the vapor chamber to initiate starting before the admission of fuel to the vapor chamber wherein said heating means comprises an electrical heating element disposed in contact with the vapor chamber.

4. In a fuel vaporizing apparatus, a vapor chamber, an aspirator including a forcing nozzle and Venturitube, a connection between the vapor chamber and Venturi tube near the forcing nozzle, means for delivering air at relatively high velocity through the forcing nozzle to withdraw vapor from the vapor chamber, means for withdrawing mixed air and vapor from the aspirator. means for burning said mixed air and vapor. means for maintaining a pool of liquid fuel at a predetermined level in the vapor chamber, means for delivering the hot gases of combustion to the vapor chamber beneath the level of the liquid fuel therein, and means associated with the chamber to heat the chamber to initiate starting.

5. A liquid fuel vaporizing apparatus comprising a vaporizing chamber for holding a pool of the liquid to be vaporized, an aspirator including va forcing nozzle connected to said vaporizing chamber, means for delivering air under pressure through said forcing nozzle whereby fuel vapors are withdrawn from said vaporizing chamber and entrained in said air, means for passing hot gases of combustion directly into and beneath the surface of the pool of the liquid fuel within said vaporizlng chamber, and independently operated means associated with the vaporization chamber for initiating vaporization of said liquid fuel.

CLYDE B. FAVERTY. 

